Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

This post goes out to a lovely lady called Liz who just found out that she aced her final exams and got straight A’s all around! Usually, one would celebrate with cupcakes or something more indulgent, but per Liz’s request to feature more Brussels sprouts recipes, here goes a delicious roasted trio! Congratulations, Liz!

Red potatoes with their skins on, balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts, and sweet Golden Delicious apple make a wonderful trio! I asked the Barefoot Contessa to tell me how much balsamic vinegar to use for my Brussels sprouts, and I used a bit less than she suggested because I can be a vinegar wimp. It probably would have been OK to add a bit more because I did not find the sprouts to be too vinegary. The sweetness of the apple mellowed down the natural bitterness of the Brussels sprouts, but that wasn’t enough to lure Mr. Wing-It out of his I-Hate-Brussels-Sprouts club. Harrumph! This is so simple and easy it can’t even be called a recipe. Plus you can throw other things in there, like diced beets, cauliflower, bell peppers…

Simple Roasted Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and Apple (2 servings)

For the potatoes:5 small red potatoes (12oz/350g), washed and cut in half or quartered1/2 tbsp olive oilsalt and fresh ground black pepper

For the apple:1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced*drizzle of olive oil

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil all over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss the potatoes around to coat them well. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan.

2) In the same bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts with their olive oil, tamari, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper. Mix well and transfer the sprouts to the roasting pan with the potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes.

3) Rinse your mixing bowl to get rid of Brussels sprout bits and balsamic vinegar residue. Throw in the apple and drizzle with a bit of olive oil just enough to lightly coat them.

4) Remove the roasting pan from the oven and use a spatula to flip the potatoes and sprouts and toss them around. Throw in the apple and bake for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender. If your oven is a pesky bottom-heater, you might need to remove the Brussels sprouts early to keep them from burning. Just throw them back in the roasting pan with the other ingredients to reheat them before serving.

*If you prefer a tart apple over a sweet Golden Delicious, definitely go for a Granny Smith instead! I’ve actually used half and half for a nice tartness vs. sweetness balance.

This was a very simple dish, which is think looked pretty of festive with all the red and green and white, and even golden bits of apple, don’t you think? ‘Tis the season! :)

Another Brussels sprouts lover! I think there are more Brussels sprouts lovers than haters – it’s just that the haters are louder and express their hate more than we express our love! :D

I promise there will be a feathered friend waiting for you at the bottom of my next post. Would you like to meet Woody the hairy woodpecker, or Woody the red-bellied woodpecker? Very original names, aren’t they?

River, I’m speechless – good thing I’m just typing, haha ;) This is so unbelievably sweet of you!! Thank you so much for the shout-out and congratulations – I’m so glad we’ve reconnected and are in communication again. I LOVE the combination of brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes – healthy yet comforting. I am definitely a lover of those brussels sprouts – Mr. Wing-It is missing out! You should tell him that eating just one sprout will make him feel better :D